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Thursday, April 11, 2013

I’ve long been saying that, if you want information about the deceased, head to the new sections, that’s where the real data show up. Old stones and you’re lucky to get a homily or a studio portrait. Nowadays, you’re likely to get their favorite sport; their car; or, in this case, their catch. These are portraits with the bounty of their prowess, albeit sometimes the prowess is modest.

I first took serious notice of photoceramics—which most of these are—at a small, hillside cemetery on Maui, Hawaii. The cemetery was strictly divided down the middle: Catholic Portuguese to the left and Protestants to the right. The Catholic side was peppered with ceramic cameos; the Protestant side severely devoid. Needless-to-say, the Catholic side was much more interesting.

As with epitaphs, one doesn’t necessarily know who chose any particular photo, the deceased or a survivor. Is this how they wanted to be remembered or is this how they were remembered? Wanted or not, this is how they are remembered.